People and Power: Al-Anbar

Comments on the Petraeus/Crocker testimony coming (if anyone has a transcript of the hearings - not the statements but the Q+A - could you send it to me?  Thanks.).  For now I just wanted to recommend this program by Rick Rowley and David Enders which aired on al-Jazeera English two days ago in two parts, which examines the American Sunni strategy in Anbar Province. It offers a fair overview of both its successes and its enormous complexity, giving plenty of air time to American military officials but pushing considerably deeper into the story than you'll often see.

Enders interviews the famous Sattar Abu Risha in Amman (he claims to be the leader of all Iraq's Sunni tribes, and makes some rather grand promises), and also presents harsh criticism of Abu Risha from his rival Ali Hatem (who denounces Abu Risha as a con man and fraud, as he has repeatedly to various American journalists).  Abu Risha dramatically says to the camera that the terrorists should know that he would be returning to Ramadi in five days and was ready for them, but he didn't turn up.  Hatem sniped that Abu Risha can't be found in Ramadi because he isn't welcome there anymore, while the US military spokesman acknowledged that Abu Risha had left the country, attributing it vaguely to squabbles over money, but expected the alliance to hold together.

Hatem and the Shia head of Maliki's reconciliation office both warn that the Americans are pouring weapons into the hands of people who will still have those weapons once the immediate AQI problem is gone.  Maliki's guy describes it as bringing a "baby crocodile" into the house which will grow into a monster, warning that putting more guns into the hands of "war criminals" responsible for sectarian cleansing guarantees more bloodshed down the road.   Hatem warns that once AQI is gone the weapons will be used for intra-tribal fighting.  When Abu Risha told Enders (on camera) that "we are on our way to Mosul and Kirkuk, God willing", one wonders whether that should be seen as a promise or a threat (it also lends plausibility to the story making the rounds in the Iraqi press yesterday that during the meeting with Bush Abu Risha offered to extend the services of his tribesmen into the center and south of the country if the US would provide more money and guns.. exactly what many Shia fear).

Perhaps the most poignant part of the program, though, comes when Enders tracks down the former Shia residents of one of these Anbar towns in a slum outside Baghdad.  Their descriptions of how they were forced from their homes, and their fears of going back, are both heart-wrenching and a powerful statement of the real underlying problems facing Iraq. 

The best moment in the program, though, comes when one of the tribal shaykhs is asked how many of the tribes currently cooperating with the US used to be fighting the US.  His response:  "Your time is up.  It's $100 for an extra minute."   A fitting epitaph. 

Comments

[nur al-cubicle]

I would like to point out that the US military is busily militarizing a border that was de-militarized with the with invasion of Iraq: that with Iran. It is even deploying Georgian troops to replace Iraqi (Shia) border guards.

[JHM]

Enders interviews the famous Sattar Abu Risha in Amman (he claims to be the leader of all Iraq's Sunni tribes, and makes some rather grand promises), and also presents harsh criticism of Abu Risha from his rival Ali Hatem (who denounces Abu Risha as a con man and fraud, as he has repeatedly [said] to various American journalists). Abu Risha dramatically says to the camera that the terrorists should know that he would be returning to Ramadi in five days and was ready for them, but he didn't turn up. Hatem sniped that Abu Risha can't be found in Ramadi because he isn't welcome there anymore, while the US military spokesman acknowledged that Abu Risha had left the country, attributing it vaguely to squabbles over money, but expected the alliance to hold together.

The departure of one "famous" disgruntled Sunni sparrow need not prognosticate perpetual winter forever in the former Iraq, yet it really does seem to illustrate what the nifty GOP Bribe-a-Tribe™ scheme must go up against in the real world. How to ensure that one's formerly bought shaykhs STAY bought -- is not that the real question, after all, O Petraeus, O Crockerius? Vague mumblings about "squabbles over money" from those with a temporarily GOP-controlled Hyperpower to back 'em up from on high may seem unintelligible from thirty thousand feet above, but down on the ground and historically considered it's rather different, and much more old-fashioned: "If you don't always promptly pay your pensioners properly, you're looking for trouble" is a general maxim, or ottabe general maxim, of Pol. Sci. that applies as well to Louis XIV as to George XLIII. Cupboard love is only to be reliably to be relied upon whilst there exists a very reliably love-dispensing cupboard and no "squabbles over money" detectable from the outside at all.

But if not, then not.

[UJ]

I haven't seen the full Petraeus Q+A yet, but PoliticsTV has Feingold's section. I assume more will follow.

http://www.politicstv.com/blog/?p=3437

You can also find the complete program at cspan.org but it requires RealPlayer (a turn off to some)

--UJ

[Steve]

Marc,

The transcripts for yesterday are halfway down this page, on the right.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091100738.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

S

[bb]

Hmmmn. There's something about these sunni sheikhs that's very Nelson Eddy/Desert Song. Poor old Maliki and the shiites are somewhat charisma-challenged in comparison.

[Non-Arab Arab]

Reuters and Dow Jones are reporting via Iraqi state TV quoting local police that Abu Risha is dead.

[Father Ted]

September 13, 2007 - 11:14PM
AdvertisementAdvertisement

The most prominent figure in a revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaeda in Iraq was killed in an explosion near his home in Anbar province, Iraqi police said.

Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha led the Anbar Salvation Council, an alliance of clans backing the Iraqi government and US forces.

Abu Risha and two of his bodyguards were killed by a roadside bomb, said Colonel Tareq Youssef, supervisor of Anbar police.

© 2007 AP DIGITAL

[jonst]

Well,the news of Abu's death will take the smile of Bush's face. Man, that was quick.

[Nur al-Cubicle]

Last week I had one wish'
To meet with Abu Rish'
But Bush his cheek did buss
And now the sheik is dust.

[Yohan]

Evidently Risha wasn't welcome in Ramadi after all...

Who is going to step up to milk the army cash cow now?

[Leyla]

I found it funny , the fake sheikhs charging a $100 a minute, i wonder how much he was paid to shake hands and show support to the Us .